Ibrahimovic fires AC Milan beyond toothless Sampdoria

Date: 29th July 2020 at 9:29pm
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AC Milan made light work of Sampdoria in Serie A on Wednesday, as they earned a 4-1 victory at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was at the centre of the action throughout as he opened the scoring with a powerful header early on, before teeing up Hakan Calhanoglu in the second half. Calhanoglu returned the favour minutes later to thread the Swedish striker in to complete his brace.

Sampdoria spurned an opportunity from the spot as Gonzalo Maroni missed a penalty, although Kristoffer Askilden curled a magnificent consolation in late on. However, Rafael Leao stepped off the bench to fire home in stoppage time and add gloss to Milan’s victory.

Milan made a dream start and were ahead within four minutes, as Ante Rebic skipped past Bartosz Bereszinsky and whipped in a fine delivery for Ibrahimovic to head home.

The Rossoneri dominated the early proceedings and Rebic forced a fingertip save from Wladimiro Falcone as he latched onto a clever Calhanoglu through ball to break the offside trap.

At the other end, Karol Linetty saw a low shot whistle past the post after spinning Franck Kessie in midfield, whilst Fabio Depaoli dragged his effort wide after meeting Gaston Ramirez’s incisive pass.

Ibrahimovic came closest to doubling the advantage on the half hour mark as he collected a return pass from Theo Hernandez in the box, but his shot came off Maya Yoshida in the box before Falcone did well to tip the ball round the post.

Meanwhile, Calhanoglu bent a dangerous freekick into the side netting from the edge of the box after Bereszinsky handled an Ibrahimovic pass, as Milan pushed for a second.

Sampdoria ought to have levelled early in the second half after a powerful Fabio Quagliarella was awkwardly parried by Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Omar Colley could only head the follow up over with the goal at his mercy.

The hosts would rue that miss as Milan immediately punished them. A rapid counterattack saw Davide Calabria whip the ball to the back post and Ibrahimovic rose highest to nod the ball across goal, with Calhanoglu taking advantage of Ronaldo Vieira’s slip to rifle in.

Milan put the match beyond all doubt just before the hour mark, though Sampdoria only had themselves to blame. Sloppy play in midfield allowed Kessie to rob the ball off Jakub Jankto and launch a counter through Calhanoglu, with the Turkey international slipping Ibrahimovic in to fire beyond Falcone and seal his brace.

Sampdoria weren’t without chances of their own as Donnarumma failed to deal with Mehdi Leris’ cross, but Jankto sliced his half volley over the bar.

Meanwhile, the Blucerchiati were awarded a late penalty courtesy of a clumsy Simon Kjaer challenge on Andrea Bertolacci, but Maroni’s weak penalty was easily saved by Donnarumma.

The home side did eventually beat Donnarumma late in, and it came in some style. Substitute Askildsen collected the ball and fired an unstoppable effort from range to give the Milan keeper no chance.

Milan were not done yet however, and substitute Leao collected Giacomo Bonaventura’s tee-up before rifling past Falcone.

 

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